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FREE SATURDAY OPINION SELECTION
Yet ANOTHER profitable night for PRO INFO SPORTS clients on Friday as BOTH Money Plays were big winners. See below the incredible information, analysis, and advice we provided to our clients for these 6STAR and 7STAR SELECTIONS along with a FREE NCAA Football play for Saturday. PRO INFO SPORTS clients have benefited from a tremendous run with our 7STAR SELECTIONS which are now 16-4 (80%) on the season!!!
We have a full day of huge Money Plays on Saturday, including more 7STAR & 6STAR SELECTIONS.
Did we mention that our 7STAR SELECTIONS are now 16-4 (80%) on the season?!
Why in the world would you want to miss another winner?
Get ALL PRO INFO SPORTS winning selections. We have options available for every sports gaming investor:
* Get ALL NFL & NCAA Football selections through Monday for only $29.95, or $34.95 with the NFL POWERePORT - Buy the Total Football WEEK GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT of your choice.
* Get ALL NFL & NCAA Football selections through the end of September for only $89.95, or $104.95 with the NFL POWERePORT - Buy the Total Football MONTH GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT of your choice.
* Get ALL NFL & NCAA Football selections for the entire season through the National Championship Game and Super Bowl for only $314.95, or $359.95 with the NFL POWERePORT - Buy the Total Football SEASON GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT of your choice.
* We also offer the NFL and NCAA Football weekly, monthly, and seasonally subscriptions separately.
Sign up NOW for the PRO INFO SPORTS GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT via PRO INFO SPORTS SERVICES & PRODUCTS. E-LERTS are issued the day prior to all football games and detail each Money Play and OPINION SELECTION with comprehensive information, analysis and advice.
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The GAMEDAY INVESTMENT FREE-LERT features a sample of the in-depth information, analysis, and advice available from PRO INFO SPORTS with complimentary selections, including POWER SYSTEMS™. If you would like to join the FREE-LERT e-mailing list, simply send us a note at:
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Friday’s Selections –
7STAR SELECTION (5% of Bankroll)
BOISE STATE -7½ over Oregon State
The team with the nation’s current longest winning streak is not LSU or USC, but the Boise State Broncos. The squad will try to extend their 12-game winning streak on Friday when it hosts Oregon State. Last week, in front of a Bronco Stadium record crowd, Boise State completely dismantled in-state rival Idaho, 65-7, running its home-game winning streak to 19 games, also the top mark in all of Division I-A. As for the Beavers, their 2004 campaign got off on the wrong foot, literally, when they allowed defending co-National Champion LSU to score a touchdown with just over a minute to play in regulation and then failed to convert an extra-point attempt in overtime. It was the third failed attempt in the game and led to a devastating 22-21 setback in Baton Rouge.
Beaver QB Derek Anderson threw for over 4,000 yards last year and had a decent game at LSU last week, as his play on the road has improved. For the first half of the game against the Tigers, the Beaver defense was completely suffocating, allowing just 93 yards. Some of that had to do with the fact that the game was played on a rain-soaked field and partly because Oregon State was battling somewhat of an untested Nick Saban offense. The Tigers were so off target that they didn't score their first points until 5:41 to play in the third period, giving OSU plenty of reason to think it could win the game and grab some national headlines, but it wasn’t meant to be.
First-time Bronco starter Jared Zabransky looked like anything but a rookie as the QB scored the first three touchdowns of the game. The rushing attack for BSU accounted for 272 yards on 47 attempts, while the passing game led to 318 yards. Not a bad start for a team that finished
seventh in the nation last season with an average of 486 yards per game in total offense. The 65 points were also an improvement for the team, even more than the 43 ppg they scored last year to lead the nation yet again. As the Boise State offense was ripping opponents apart in 2003, the defense was also doing quite a number as it was limiting schools to just 17 ppg to place 12th in the nation. The Broncos appear to be heading in the same direction this year after giving up just a single touchdown to the Vandals.
It’s rare that such a perfect set-up for a blowout arises, but we have one here. Oregon State is on the road for the second straight week, and a short week at that. Last week was a long trip to and back from the Bayou, in which they were extended to overtime, and suffered the most heart-breaking of losses. It’s hard to imagine losing a game in a more crushing way. The Beavers obviously put all of their off-season and pre-season planning into that game. They left everything on the field and were absolutely drained physically, emotionally, and psychologically. There is simply no possible way they will be able to bring that same emotion, determination, and focus into Boise. They left it all in Louisiana. Oregon State has been a poor road team overall, despite last week’s Herculean effort, as they are 5-13 ATS as visitors, and just 3-11 ATS in a second straight road game.
Meanwhile, Boise State has a tremendous home field advantage, where they are 16-4 ATS off a SU win. They have never beaten a Pac-10 team at home or on the road, but they came, oh so close last year, and we are very confident they will get over the hump in a big way this time. Revenge is a handicapping factor that is often over-used. There are situations, though, when it can be a very big consideration. If a team lost a single contest the prior year, that defeat no doubt kept the team from achieving a very big goal and would obviously stand out as a motivating factor in a re-match. Losing a close game in a controversial manner can also leave a very big chip on the shoulder of a team that got the short end of the stick. It so happens that we have both revenge factors at work here. The Broncos lost 26-24 in Corvallis last season, and was their only defeat on the season, and the game ended in a great deal of controversy. Officials ruled QB Derek Anderson's progress stopped on a sneak before he fumbled, negating a turnover and clinching the Beavers' win. The Pac-10 later admitted it was a blown call. Boise State has not forgotten that loss or how they were short changed. The Broncos home field edge on the blue turf will only be magnified by the night lights and cameras of ESPN. Boise State will be at a feverish emotional high. They always play with a great deal of excitement, but this is the game they circled on their schedule before the season started. There will not be another game this season in which the Broncos are as “up”. Now they are getting an Oregon State team that is at an emotional low. It couldn’t be a bigger emotional mismatch, which will be evident by a big Boise State win and cover.
FINAL SCORE: BOISE STATE 53 OREGON STATE 34
Did we mention that our 7STAR SELECTIONS are now 16-4 (80%) on the season?!
6STAR SELECTION (4.75% of Bankroll)
MIAMI, FL -1½ over Florida State
The 2004 season will finally kick off for #4 Florida State and #5 Miami, of Florida, when the two arch-rivals meet up in the Orange Bowl on Friday. This game was originally schedule for Labor Day, but Hurricane Frances forced the postponement. Now, they are trying to beat the next hurricane. It is likely to be the only hurricane the Seminoles will beat on the night. These two teams concluded the 2003 season against one another in postseason play in the very same venue, with Miami staking claim to a 16-14 win as a 2-point underdog. Additionally, the teams met in Tallahassee in the regular season, which was another Hurricane victory.
Bobby Bowden's troops posted 10 victories a year ago, making the ‘Noles head man the winningest coach in Division I-A history. The team also captured its 11th ACC crown in 12 years and will try to make it 12 out of 13; however, newcomers to the ACC this year, the Hurricanes would like nothing better than to put FSU in an early conference hole. Larry Coker's troops have been one of the nation's premiere teams for several years and last year was no exception. Miami earned an 11-win season.
The Seminoles averaged over 400 yards of total offense in 2003 and with nine starters returning on this side of the football, there is no reason to think those numbers will drop this year. Chris Rix is the only four-year starter at quarterback in the Bowden Era and will look to improve upon his numbers from previous seasons. He certainly has some tremendous weapons at his disposal but has not been able to put it together in really big games, especially against Miami. The rushing duties will be left up to Lorenzo Booker and Leon Washington after losing Greg Jones to the draft, and the Seminoles should be fine there. The offensive front is a veteran group of 300-pounders; however, two of their returning starters, including their second-team All-ACC center David Castillo will be out, which could very well be a huge factor here. While the offense has the luxury of most of its parts returning, the defense isn't as fortunate. The unit returns just four starters and will need to find a way to replace the production of one of the nation's best linebacking trios.
Despite inconsistent play from the quarterback position last year, Miami was still a dangerous offensive team, generating almost 400 yards per game. The passing game was mediocre at 215.1 yards per game, but the rushing attack remained lethal at 180 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. We expect big improvement in both areas in 2004. Without question, Brock Berlin struggled under center in his first year, as he finished with just 12 TDs and 17 interceptions. He will get another opportunity to lead this team, and we believe he will make the most of it. The ground attack will feature sophomore Tyrone Moss and junior Frank Gore was an exciting freshman two seasons ago, but torn ACLs have caused him to miss most of the last two campaigns. If he can stay away from the injury bug, Gore could produce mammoth numbers this year. He has been declared fit for this game, and will certainly help the ‘Canes attack. With the losses of All-World safety Sean Taylor, All- American LBs, and monster tackle Vince Wilfork this is a defense that will be looking to establish a new personality. The cupboard isn't exactly bare though, as teams such as Florida State and Miami, simply sub in their next round of high school Americans.
Looking at these teams on paper, some would suggest that FSU is more talented and that they are due to beat Miami. This game is not played on paper though and until the Seminoles find a way to get past their nemesis, we can’t back them. If a team believes they are jinxed, and the Seminoles surely do, then they are. Why has this football rivalry been defined by missed field goals? Why has each missed kick gone straight through the Seminoles' hearts? It’s to the point where Bowden is calling it divine intervention. When a team feels it is competing against more than opponent on the field, it has already lost the mental game. No Seminole can feel more jinxed than Rix. He has simply choked and been horrible against Miami. THIS is supposed to be the year he grows up and plays big in clutch situations. Of course this is the same line that was coming out of Tallahassee last year…and the year before that.... We will believe it when we see it. Look for Miami’s Brock Berlin to be crowned the QB that has improved the most by the time this one is over.
The delay of this game appears to have worked in Miami’s favor as well. Of course FSU was looking forward to this game and was getting worked up getting ready to play before the contest was postponed. Coach Bowden admits that his team has become “bored” in practice. While the delay is allowing Miami to get healthier for this game, it isn’t doing the same for the ‘Noles. With 2 linemen out, including the center, they will have a much harder time dealing with Miami’s blitzing.
This could very well come down to special teams and a late FG. Again, we are very confident we have the right team and the right kicker. Florida State’s Xavier Beitia has to be convinced he, too, is jinxed by his kicks that have sailed "wide right" against Miami time and again. Meanwhile, the ‘Canes have steady and reliable Jon Peattie, who connected on six field goals in two wins against the Seminoles last year. UM ended its final full practice before this game by lining up Peattie for a 40-plus-yard field goal in a game-type situation. He was being taunted by his teammates. Some were doing the FSU chop and doing the familiar war chant. Some just booed. Peattie drilled the kick down the middle. It could very well be a sign of things to come.
Some teams simply have a hold over others. Florida owns Georgia, Oklahoma owns Texas, Toledo owns Northern Illinois and Miami has FSU's number. The Canes always seem to find a way, at least for the last 5 times. And with many of the same cast of characters, we believe we’ve seen this show before. It's Florida State vs. Miami in the Orange Bowl. There’s simply no reason to think that the game will turn out differently this time around. Just ask Peyton Manning of the Colts about a team having another team’s number, as we watched Indianapolis lose another game in Foxboro on Thursday to kick off the NFL season. We have an almost identical situation here and we expect a similar result – Miami by a FG.
FINAL SCORE: MIAMI, FL 16 FLORIDA STATE 10 (OT)
Saturday’s OPINION SELECTION (1% of Bankroll)
NOTRE DAME +12½ over Michigan
The eighth-ranked Michigan Wolverines will invade South Bend, Indiana on Saturday for a meeting with long-time rival Notre Dame. The 2003 edition of the Big Ten bullies was a strong one, as Lloyd Carr's troops went 10-3, beat bitter rival Ohio State, won the Big Ten title and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl for the first time in six years. One of their biggest wins of the season was a 38-0 thumping of Notre Dame in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The squad was expected to be tested in the 2004 opener by Miami-Ohio, but what began as a close game last weekend ended in a lopsided 43-10 triumph for Michigan. The Fighting Irish find themselves in the rare role of a big home underdog. After surprising the college football world in 2002 by starting the season 8-0 and finishing with a 10-3 mark, the Irish completed a dismal '03 campaign with a losing record of 5-7, marking the 10th straight year the team did not finish in the top 10. Third-year head coach Tyrone Willingham, who entered this new season with his share of critics, saw his team drop a 20-17 decision at BYU in their opener last weekend.
True freshman Chad Henne was solid in his first start as the new leader of the Wolverine offense last week. He got the call in place of the injured Matt Gutierrez, and will be the starter here as well. It's hard to imagine the Michigan defense playing much better than it did against the RedHawks last Saturday. They forced a staggering seven turnovers, including five interceptions.
After averaging only 20 points per game last season, the Fighting Irish were eager to get off to a good start offensively against BYU. Unfortunately, the squad had to play without the services of starting tailback Ryan Grant, who was held out of the contest with a sore hamstring. Without him, Notre Dame's ground attack was completely ineffective, posting an embarrassing total of 11 yards on 21 attempts. It is clear that Grant is desperately needed by his team, and he should be ready to go here. In 2002 when Julius Jones was ineligible due to academics, Grant racked up over 1,000 yards for the Irish, so he has the goods. More pressure will be on sophomore QB Brady Quinn to perform. Against the Cougars in the opener, he completed 26-of-47 passes for 265 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions but missed some open receivers at key times. Notre Dame posted four sacks last week, but allowed the Cougars to connect on 22-of-33 pass attempts for 263 yards, including a couple of big plays that factored prominently in the final outcome. Still, the defensive unit did produce plenty of positives. The Irish yielded a total of just 22 rushing yards on 35 attempts and limited the Cougars to 20 points, giving Quinn and the offense a chance to win the game.
Nobody is giving the Irish a fighting chance, but we are. With Ryan Grant back in the lineup, the rushing game should improve dramatically, which will open things up for the passing game. Notre Dame will be at an emotional frenzy for this game and should play their best game of the season. Perhaps 2 seasons. They were thoroughly embarrassed by their showing at Michigan last year and have been pre-occupied with getting revenge in the off season. It’s little wonder they could not find a way to beat the Cougars in BYU, who were looking for some revenge of their own. There is no doubt Notre Dame was looking ahead to this game and past BYU last week. After all, they rescheduled the BYU game for one reason – to play a game before meeting Michigan. This week we fully expect to see the real Fighting Irish, while Michigan will show they are human after all.
Notre Dame will get pressure on Michigan’s young QB(s) and make some big plays. The crowd will be a tremendous edge here as well for Notre Dame. Michigan has shown us their Jekyll and Hyde sides before, where they get a big win at home in which they look like they could wipe out an NFL team, and then go lay an egg on the road. Last year, for example, after crushing the Irish they waltzed into Eugene, Oregon and crashed with a thud. Michigan is 2-12 ATS in their first road game of the season and 0-6 ATS on the road off a double-digit SU win vs. a non-conference opponent. In “marquee matchups” pointspreads posted before the season started, Michigan was about a 4 point favorite for this game. The line is now in double digits, but this is a case of public over-reaction in our estimation, which provides us with great line value here. Even including last year’s unusual blowout, the favorite in this series is just 3-15 ATS. We look for a return to that form here, as Notre Dame stays within a FG of Michigan, giving them a chance to pull of a huge SU win.
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Yet ANOTHER profitable night for PRO INFO SPORTS clients on Friday as BOTH Money Plays were big winners. See below the incredible information, analysis, and advice we provided to our clients for these 6STAR and 7STAR SELECTIONS along with a FREE NCAA Football play for Saturday. PRO INFO SPORTS clients have benefited from a tremendous run with our 7STAR SELECTIONS which are now 16-4 (80%) on the season!!!
We have a full day of huge Money Plays on Saturday, including more 7STAR & 6STAR SELECTIONS.
Did we mention that our 7STAR SELECTIONS are now 16-4 (80%) on the season?!
Why in the world would you want to miss another winner?
Get ALL PRO INFO SPORTS winning selections. We have options available for every sports gaming investor:
* Get ALL NFL & NCAA Football selections through Monday for only $29.95, or $34.95 with the NFL POWERePORT - Buy the Total Football WEEK GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT of your choice.
* Get ALL NFL & NCAA Football selections through the end of September for only $89.95, or $104.95 with the NFL POWERePORT - Buy the Total Football MONTH GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT of your choice.
* Get ALL NFL & NCAA Football selections for the entire season through the National Championship Game and Super Bowl for only $314.95, or $359.95 with the NFL POWERePORT - Buy the Total Football SEASON GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT of your choice.
* We also offer the NFL and NCAA Football weekly, monthly, and seasonally subscriptions separately.
Sign up NOW for the PRO INFO SPORTS GAMEDAY INVESTMENT E-LERT via PRO INFO SPORTS SERVICES & PRODUCTS. E-LERTS are issued the day prior to all football games and detail each Money Play and OPINION SELECTION with comprehensive information, analysis and advice.
http://www.proinfosports.com/ServProd.0.html
The GAMEDAY INVESTMENT FREE-LERT features a sample of the in-depth information, analysis, and advice available from PRO INFO SPORTS with complimentary selections, including POWER SYSTEMS™. If you would like to join the FREE-LERT e-mailing list, simply send us a note at:
[email protected]
Friday’s Selections –
7STAR SELECTION (5% of Bankroll)
BOISE STATE -7½ over Oregon State
The team with the nation’s current longest winning streak is not LSU or USC, but the Boise State Broncos. The squad will try to extend their 12-game winning streak on Friday when it hosts Oregon State. Last week, in front of a Bronco Stadium record crowd, Boise State completely dismantled in-state rival Idaho, 65-7, running its home-game winning streak to 19 games, also the top mark in all of Division I-A. As for the Beavers, their 2004 campaign got off on the wrong foot, literally, when they allowed defending co-National Champion LSU to score a touchdown with just over a minute to play in regulation and then failed to convert an extra-point attempt in overtime. It was the third failed attempt in the game and led to a devastating 22-21 setback in Baton Rouge.
Beaver QB Derek Anderson threw for over 4,000 yards last year and had a decent game at LSU last week, as his play on the road has improved. For the first half of the game against the Tigers, the Beaver defense was completely suffocating, allowing just 93 yards. Some of that had to do with the fact that the game was played on a rain-soaked field and partly because Oregon State was battling somewhat of an untested Nick Saban offense. The Tigers were so off target that they didn't score their first points until 5:41 to play in the third period, giving OSU plenty of reason to think it could win the game and grab some national headlines, but it wasn’t meant to be.
First-time Bronco starter Jared Zabransky looked like anything but a rookie as the QB scored the first three touchdowns of the game. The rushing attack for BSU accounted for 272 yards on 47 attempts, while the passing game led to 318 yards. Not a bad start for a team that finished
seventh in the nation last season with an average of 486 yards per game in total offense. The 65 points were also an improvement for the team, even more than the 43 ppg they scored last year to lead the nation yet again. As the Boise State offense was ripping opponents apart in 2003, the defense was also doing quite a number as it was limiting schools to just 17 ppg to place 12th in the nation. The Broncos appear to be heading in the same direction this year after giving up just a single touchdown to the Vandals.
It’s rare that such a perfect set-up for a blowout arises, but we have one here. Oregon State is on the road for the second straight week, and a short week at that. Last week was a long trip to and back from the Bayou, in which they were extended to overtime, and suffered the most heart-breaking of losses. It’s hard to imagine losing a game in a more crushing way. The Beavers obviously put all of their off-season and pre-season planning into that game. They left everything on the field and were absolutely drained physically, emotionally, and psychologically. There is simply no possible way they will be able to bring that same emotion, determination, and focus into Boise. They left it all in Louisiana. Oregon State has been a poor road team overall, despite last week’s Herculean effort, as they are 5-13 ATS as visitors, and just 3-11 ATS in a second straight road game.
Meanwhile, Boise State has a tremendous home field advantage, where they are 16-4 ATS off a SU win. They have never beaten a Pac-10 team at home or on the road, but they came, oh so close last year, and we are very confident they will get over the hump in a big way this time. Revenge is a handicapping factor that is often over-used. There are situations, though, when it can be a very big consideration. If a team lost a single contest the prior year, that defeat no doubt kept the team from achieving a very big goal and would obviously stand out as a motivating factor in a re-match. Losing a close game in a controversial manner can also leave a very big chip on the shoulder of a team that got the short end of the stick. It so happens that we have both revenge factors at work here. The Broncos lost 26-24 in Corvallis last season, and was their only defeat on the season, and the game ended in a great deal of controversy. Officials ruled QB Derek Anderson's progress stopped on a sneak before he fumbled, negating a turnover and clinching the Beavers' win. The Pac-10 later admitted it was a blown call. Boise State has not forgotten that loss or how they were short changed. The Broncos home field edge on the blue turf will only be magnified by the night lights and cameras of ESPN. Boise State will be at a feverish emotional high. They always play with a great deal of excitement, but this is the game they circled on their schedule before the season started. There will not be another game this season in which the Broncos are as “up”. Now they are getting an Oregon State team that is at an emotional low. It couldn’t be a bigger emotional mismatch, which will be evident by a big Boise State win and cover.
FINAL SCORE: BOISE STATE 53 OREGON STATE 34
Did we mention that our 7STAR SELECTIONS are now 16-4 (80%) on the season?!
6STAR SELECTION (4.75% of Bankroll)
MIAMI, FL -1½ over Florida State
The 2004 season will finally kick off for #4 Florida State and #5 Miami, of Florida, when the two arch-rivals meet up in the Orange Bowl on Friday. This game was originally schedule for Labor Day, but Hurricane Frances forced the postponement. Now, they are trying to beat the next hurricane. It is likely to be the only hurricane the Seminoles will beat on the night. These two teams concluded the 2003 season against one another in postseason play in the very same venue, with Miami staking claim to a 16-14 win as a 2-point underdog. Additionally, the teams met in Tallahassee in the regular season, which was another Hurricane victory.
Bobby Bowden's troops posted 10 victories a year ago, making the ‘Noles head man the winningest coach in Division I-A history. The team also captured its 11th ACC crown in 12 years and will try to make it 12 out of 13; however, newcomers to the ACC this year, the Hurricanes would like nothing better than to put FSU in an early conference hole. Larry Coker's troops have been one of the nation's premiere teams for several years and last year was no exception. Miami earned an 11-win season.
The Seminoles averaged over 400 yards of total offense in 2003 and with nine starters returning on this side of the football, there is no reason to think those numbers will drop this year. Chris Rix is the only four-year starter at quarterback in the Bowden Era and will look to improve upon his numbers from previous seasons. He certainly has some tremendous weapons at his disposal but has not been able to put it together in really big games, especially against Miami. The rushing duties will be left up to Lorenzo Booker and Leon Washington after losing Greg Jones to the draft, and the Seminoles should be fine there. The offensive front is a veteran group of 300-pounders; however, two of their returning starters, including their second-team All-ACC center David Castillo will be out, which could very well be a huge factor here. While the offense has the luxury of most of its parts returning, the defense isn't as fortunate. The unit returns just four starters and will need to find a way to replace the production of one of the nation's best linebacking trios.
Despite inconsistent play from the quarterback position last year, Miami was still a dangerous offensive team, generating almost 400 yards per game. The passing game was mediocre at 215.1 yards per game, but the rushing attack remained lethal at 180 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. We expect big improvement in both areas in 2004. Without question, Brock Berlin struggled under center in his first year, as he finished with just 12 TDs and 17 interceptions. He will get another opportunity to lead this team, and we believe he will make the most of it. The ground attack will feature sophomore Tyrone Moss and junior Frank Gore was an exciting freshman two seasons ago, but torn ACLs have caused him to miss most of the last two campaigns. If he can stay away from the injury bug, Gore could produce mammoth numbers this year. He has been declared fit for this game, and will certainly help the ‘Canes attack. With the losses of All-World safety Sean Taylor, All- American LBs, and monster tackle Vince Wilfork this is a defense that will be looking to establish a new personality. The cupboard isn't exactly bare though, as teams such as Florida State and Miami, simply sub in their next round of high school Americans.
Looking at these teams on paper, some would suggest that FSU is more talented and that they are due to beat Miami. This game is not played on paper though and until the Seminoles find a way to get past their nemesis, we can’t back them. If a team believes they are jinxed, and the Seminoles surely do, then they are. Why has this football rivalry been defined by missed field goals? Why has each missed kick gone straight through the Seminoles' hearts? It’s to the point where Bowden is calling it divine intervention. When a team feels it is competing against more than opponent on the field, it has already lost the mental game. No Seminole can feel more jinxed than Rix. He has simply choked and been horrible against Miami. THIS is supposed to be the year he grows up and plays big in clutch situations. Of course this is the same line that was coming out of Tallahassee last year…and the year before that.... We will believe it when we see it. Look for Miami’s Brock Berlin to be crowned the QB that has improved the most by the time this one is over.
The delay of this game appears to have worked in Miami’s favor as well. Of course FSU was looking forward to this game and was getting worked up getting ready to play before the contest was postponed. Coach Bowden admits that his team has become “bored” in practice. While the delay is allowing Miami to get healthier for this game, it isn’t doing the same for the ‘Noles. With 2 linemen out, including the center, they will have a much harder time dealing with Miami’s blitzing.
This could very well come down to special teams and a late FG. Again, we are very confident we have the right team and the right kicker. Florida State’s Xavier Beitia has to be convinced he, too, is jinxed by his kicks that have sailed "wide right" against Miami time and again. Meanwhile, the ‘Canes have steady and reliable Jon Peattie, who connected on six field goals in two wins against the Seminoles last year. UM ended its final full practice before this game by lining up Peattie for a 40-plus-yard field goal in a game-type situation. He was being taunted by his teammates. Some were doing the FSU chop and doing the familiar war chant. Some just booed. Peattie drilled the kick down the middle. It could very well be a sign of things to come.
Some teams simply have a hold over others. Florida owns Georgia, Oklahoma owns Texas, Toledo owns Northern Illinois and Miami has FSU's number. The Canes always seem to find a way, at least for the last 5 times. And with many of the same cast of characters, we believe we’ve seen this show before. It's Florida State vs. Miami in the Orange Bowl. There’s simply no reason to think that the game will turn out differently this time around. Just ask Peyton Manning of the Colts about a team having another team’s number, as we watched Indianapolis lose another game in Foxboro on Thursday to kick off the NFL season. We have an almost identical situation here and we expect a similar result – Miami by a FG.
FINAL SCORE: MIAMI, FL 16 FLORIDA STATE 10 (OT)
Saturday’s OPINION SELECTION (1% of Bankroll)
NOTRE DAME +12½ over Michigan
The eighth-ranked Michigan Wolverines will invade South Bend, Indiana on Saturday for a meeting with long-time rival Notre Dame. The 2003 edition of the Big Ten bullies was a strong one, as Lloyd Carr's troops went 10-3, beat bitter rival Ohio State, won the Big Ten title and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl for the first time in six years. One of their biggest wins of the season was a 38-0 thumping of Notre Dame in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The squad was expected to be tested in the 2004 opener by Miami-Ohio, but what began as a close game last weekend ended in a lopsided 43-10 triumph for Michigan. The Fighting Irish find themselves in the rare role of a big home underdog. After surprising the college football world in 2002 by starting the season 8-0 and finishing with a 10-3 mark, the Irish completed a dismal '03 campaign with a losing record of 5-7, marking the 10th straight year the team did not finish in the top 10. Third-year head coach Tyrone Willingham, who entered this new season with his share of critics, saw his team drop a 20-17 decision at BYU in their opener last weekend.
True freshman Chad Henne was solid in his first start as the new leader of the Wolverine offense last week. He got the call in place of the injured Matt Gutierrez, and will be the starter here as well. It's hard to imagine the Michigan defense playing much better than it did against the RedHawks last Saturday. They forced a staggering seven turnovers, including five interceptions.
After averaging only 20 points per game last season, the Fighting Irish were eager to get off to a good start offensively against BYU. Unfortunately, the squad had to play without the services of starting tailback Ryan Grant, who was held out of the contest with a sore hamstring. Without him, Notre Dame's ground attack was completely ineffective, posting an embarrassing total of 11 yards on 21 attempts. It is clear that Grant is desperately needed by his team, and he should be ready to go here. In 2002 when Julius Jones was ineligible due to academics, Grant racked up over 1,000 yards for the Irish, so he has the goods. More pressure will be on sophomore QB Brady Quinn to perform. Against the Cougars in the opener, he completed 26-of-47 passes for 265 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions but missed some open receivers at key times. Notre Dame posted four sacks last week, but allowed the Cougars to connect on 22-of-33 pass attempts for 263 yards, including a couple of big plays that factored prominently in the final outcome. Still, the defensive unit did produce plenty of positives. The Irish yielded a total of just 22 rushing yards on 35 attempts and limited the Cougars to 20 points, giving Quinn and the offense a chance to win the game.
Nobody is giving the Irish a fighting chance, but we are. With Ryan Grant back in the lineup, the rushing game should improve dramatically, which will open things up for the passing game. Notre Dame will be at an emotional frenzy for this game and should play their best game of the season. Perhaps 2 seasons. They were thoroughly embarrassed by their showing at Michigan last year and have been pre-occupied with getting revenge in the off season. It’s little wonder they could not find a way to beat the Cougars in BYU, who were looking for some revenge of their own. There is no doubt Notre Dame was looking ahead to this game and past BYU last week. After all, they rescheduled the BYU game for one reason – to play a game before meeting Michigan. This week we fully expect to see the real Fighting Irish, while Michigan will show they are human after all.
Notre Dame will get pressure on Michigan’s young QB(s) and make some big plays. The crowd will be a tremendous edge here as well for Notre Dame. Michigan has shown us their Jekyll and Hyde sides before, where they get a big win at home in which they look like they could wipe out an NFL team, and then go lay an egg on the road. Last year, for example, after crushing the Irish they waltzed into Eugene, Oregon and crashed with a thud. Michigan is 2-12 ATS in their first road game of the season and 0-6 ATS on the road off a double-digit SU win vs. a non-conference opponent. In “marquee matchups” pointspreads posted before the season started, Michigan was about a 4 point favorite for this game. The line is now in double digits, but this is a case of public over-reaction in our estimation, which provides us with great line value here. Even including last year’s unusual blowout, the favorite in this series is just 3-15 ATS. We look for a return to that form here, as Notre Dame stays within a FG of Michigan, giving them a chance to pull of a huge SU win.
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